of baltimore



E. M. SHAW, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

LOCK. Y

Specification of Letters Patent No. 19,879, dated April 6, 1858.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ERASMUS M. SHAw, of Baltimore, in the State ofMaryland, have invented a new and Improved Lock; and I do hereby declarethat the following is a full, clear7 and eXact description of theconstruction and operation of the saine, reference being had to theannexed drawings, making a part of this specification, in which- Figurel is a perspective view of the lock complete. Fig. 2 is a back elevationof the lock with the cover or boX plate removed. Fig. 3 is a backelevation of the lock with the plate (fw) removed. Fig. 4 is a verticalsection through the center of the lock.77 Fig. 5, is an edge. or endelevation of the lock with the cover (fw) removed. Fig. 6 is ahorizontal section of the lock without the cover w). The same letters ofreference in the different figures denote the same parts of the lock.Fig. 7 is a side view of the key and Fig. 8 is a longitudinal and Fig.9, is a cross section of the key.

(A, A, A)- is the main plate of the lock on to which are permanentlyfastened the small plates (b, b) pin (a) and spring which is bent in aform so as inclose between its arms the lower portions of the bolts (d,(l) which vibrate on pins (e, e)-which pins are fastened t0 the plate IIis the hole in top portion of theplate (A) through which hole thenotched stem (S) passes.

The Lipper portionsof the bolts (d, cZ,) are beveled or tapered so as toform a V space or wedge shaped-space between them when they are broughtto the positions in which they are represented in the drawings. Thebolts (d, d) are notched at (d cZ) for the reception of the wings of thelower portion of the stein They are also notched at (d2, cl2) for thepurpose of allowing the bolts (CZ, CZ,) to be brought to a verticalposition by the spring (c) before they Strike the pin (a) which servesas a stop for both the bolts (d, d) against which each of the bolts (d,d) is pressed by the spring (c) when they are not acted upon by the key.

(i, it) are holes in the bolts (d, c,) for the reception of pins (m, m)which are fastened on the narrow spring plates (p, p) the lower ends ofwhich spring plates are at-v tached to the plate (r) which has a hollowstem (t) projecting from it which is the guide for the key. Portions ofthe plate (1") are turned in or bent at right angles to its main body soas to form flanges which lit against the plates b, b). are slots ormortises into which slots the screws (e, e) project or pass the screwsbeing screwed iirm and tight in the plates b) while their points or endswork loosely in the slots (ow) of the flanges of the plate (r). Theseslots and screws are for the purpose of allowing a certain play ormotion of the plate in a vertical direction so that the pins on theplate (r) can be brought opposite the holes (it, h) in the bolts or thehollow stein (Q) brought oppo' site the cavity or hollow formed by theIn these flanges l rounded notches in the edges of the/bolts (CZ, Thiscavity is marked Fig. 10 is a side or edge view of the plate (r) andhollow stem (g) which is perinanently attached to it. (p, 79) are thespring plates attached to the plate (r) at their lower portions andhaving attached to them at the upper portions the pins which are shownin dotted lines. The cover or box plate (fw) is secured to the mainplate (A) by four screws passing through slots in flanges on the coverand entering and screwing into lthe plate (A). The slots in the flanges(w) on the cover (w) are for -the purpose of allowing the cover (fw) tobe moved in a vertical direction by the key when the key is moved upwardor downward as occasion may require.

Figs. 7 8 and 9 of the key show how the end or working part is formedinto feet or wedges with their apices outward from the body of the key.is a stem pointed at one end and having a small knob or handle at theother for the purpose of forcing it in and out of the hollow body of thekey. That portion of the body of the key which is toward the feet orwedges (Z, 2,) is hollowed suiciently large forthe reception of the stem(g) which is on the plate (r) the other portion of the stein or body ofthe key is only hollowed large enough for the stem (7u) to pass through.The form of the double hooked, winged or barbed stem which is acounterpart for the upper parts of the bolts (d, al) before described issuiiiciently plain by inspection of the drawings without furtherdescription.

The operation of the lock is thus (I will take an instance where thelock is on a trunk). The lock being on the body of the trunk and theStem (s) fastened to the iid of the trunk by means of the plate (S) andscrews, the plate (S) being permanently fastened to the stem. Supposingthe lock with regards to its parts to be in the position shown in thedrawings and it is required to shut the trunk. The key must be put inthe key hole (y) and on the stem (g) of the plate (r) and pressed intothe lock till the end of the key strikes the plate The key is then to beturned one quarter of a revolution aboutits axis by which motion theends of the feet or wedges on the key will be inserted between thebeveled edges of the plates (29, 10) and the plate (r) by whichoperation the plates (p, p) are sepa rated at their upper portions fromthe plate (fr) and the pins (m) on the plates (p, 79) are consequentlydrawn out of the holes (7L, 7L) in the bolts (el, cl) when the key is tobe moved downward till the screws (e, z) prevent the further descent ofthe plate (fr) then the stem of the key being opposite the cavity formedin the edges of the bolts (fl, (Z) is pushed in between them andseparates them so as to allow the stem on the lid of the trunk to beinserted between them. Then the key is to be raised to its formerposition and turned back a quarter of a revolution about its aXis andwithdrawn. The trunk is then locked and to unlock it the key must beinserted as before, turned a quarter of a revolution about its axis,Vthen pressed downward as far as it is allowed to go and the stem pressedin which will separate the bolts as before described and allow the sternon the lid of trunk to be withdrawn. The key may then be left in thelock till itis required to lock .it again or it may be withdrawnby-raising it (after the stem (7c) has been drawn out from between thebolt-s (cl, d)) as far as it is allowed to go, then turning the keyA aquarter of a revolution about its axis back to its original position andpulling it out of the lock. It must be observed that the stem (S) cannotenter its place between the bolts (0l, CZ) except by opening orseparating the bolts as before described. The cover or box plate ismoved upward or downward by the key when the key is moved. It may beremarked that the bolts cannot be separated till the plate (1') is moveddownward so as to cover a narrower portion of the bolts than it doeswhen it is up as far as it can be moved for when in that position itfits close to the bolts and prevents their separation. (B) is the holein the plate (A) for the stem (S) to pass through.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is-The plate (r), spring plates (19, p) pins (fw) and hollow stem (g)combined as herein described.

I ERASMUS' M. SHAW. Witnesses l THos. B. BARNARD, NEVILLE JOHNSON.

